UEIL News
“All good things come to those who wait... and then act” It’s been an eventful year for Europe and the EU. Without doubt the UK referendum on its future with Europe will make sure that 2016 is not easily forgotten. It just also might be the year that the lubricant industry improves its access to technical information now that the EU has proposed to re-cast the way motor vehicles are type approved in Europe. On the back of critique by many stakeholders close to the sector that the European automotive type approval environment was open to direct influence and an insufficient level of scrutiny, the EU decided to re-model the system going forward.
This has presented UEIL with a historic opportunity to fix the Access to Technical Information question that has plagued our industry for such a long time. Contrary to requirements in place in euro 5 and 6 legislation and other directives and regulations, vehicle manufacturers have proved reluctant to share information about what type of lubricants it requires in future product. The lubricant sector is not alone in its struggle to acquire technical information from OEMs. It is this very realisation that has led UEIL to join the AFCAR (After Market Coalition) of the automotive value chain. The real value of this membership lies in the scale of the organisations aligned in it.
Whether it’s the repair and maintenance industry, the independent retailers or garage equipment manufacturers, the AFCAR coalition represents 284 million vehicles serviced by 3,5 million people employed in 500,000 companies in the independent service sector, 96% of which are SMEs. 18 bn.
€ spent by parts suppliers in R&D. Telling facts that we hope will help push through several amendments with MEPs in the European Parliament working on the new Type approval report. All being well these amendments should be adopted by the IMCO committee vote in November and the European plenary gathering in December of this year.
It is our hope that Access to Technical Information will be plentiful in the near future when the new legislation comes into force. Currently foreseen in 2018. All good things come to those who wait… and then act.
Taxation
The Commission has published its proposal to include lubes in bulk under EMCS in September and has asked the EU Member States to provide their opinions through a written procedure. UEIL lobbied the last months intensively and our hard work had success as 4 EU Member States (UK, France Spain and The Netherlands) voted against the Commission proposal therefore creating a blocking minority.
Therefore the Commission proposal has been rejected and for the moment lubes in bulk will not be included under EMCS.
LINK
www.ueil.org
Technical & Competition Committee The Technical Committee last met on 21 September 2016 in Brussels. The Technical Committee is currently investigating: • Industrial - 1 Case • Off Highway - 7 Cases • PCMO - 8 Cases • HDDO - 0 Cases • 2 Stroke - 2 cases
Another important success for UEIL is that major OEMs from three different sectors have agreed to change their position regarding the right of a lubricant manufacturer to refer to the OEMs’ specification. Thanks to UEIL’s work, the OEMs acknowledged that a lubricant manufacturer who produces a lubricant which fully meets the requirements of a technical specification can indicate on his documentation (technical data sheets, packaging, etc) that the product meets this specification and that a lubricant manufacturer cannot be obliged by OEMs to go through an approval procedure to be able to do so.
Several OEM Bulletins are currently being drafted for release before the year end.
The calendar for 2017 is currently being finalised but the next meeting will be in January 2017.
UEIL 2017 ANNUAL CONGRESS The UEIL 2017 Annual Congress will take place in Italy, between 25-27 October 2017! Check our website for: - Speaking opportunities - Media partnerships - Sponsorship opportunities
Contact us for other information:
info@ueil.org.
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.136 DECEMBER 2016
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